Wellington Weekend November 2024Our last out of town field trip for 2024 was to Wellington - in part to participate in the Wellington Interclub Print Battle but also to enjoy the many photo opportunities along the way.
On our way south we stopped at Titahi Bay and explored the area around the well known boat houses before venturing up to one of the lookouts where we had the rare experience of seeing orca off the coast. Arriving late in Wellington a couple of us ventured out to check out the nightlife on Courtenay Place (and surrounding streets) after dark.
The next morning afforded the usual wide array of photo opportunities around downtown Wellington and along the foreshore.
We had 10 entries in the Wellington Interclub Print Battle which is contested annually - this year with 5 clubs competing. We had three wins and two seconds and were third overall just a point off the joint winners. Here are our three winning images:
On our way home we passed the Hikoi making its way south
Shutterbugs out and about in 2024The first Monday of each month, an enthusiastic group of Shutterbugs explore an area of Whanganui. There is usually a suggested theme but members are free to experiment and capture whatever they find interesting.
It’s a great opportunity to share ideas and different ways of viewing Our Local Environment. An hour of creative photo shooting concludes with a social gathering in a cafe. The third Wednesday of each month, Shutterbugs meet at the Clubrooms for a practical session on understanding our cameras and photography techniques. Members decide what topics they need and there is an emphasis on helping each other and learning through doing. Waitomo Weekend - May 2024 Karen Douglas
Our major field trip for this year was a three day / two nighter to Waitomo with a photographers special viewing of the Spellbound Glow worm cave the target attraction. But there was much more to it than that. On the first morning we made our way via the Paraparas to Horopito for a visit to the world famous vintage car dismantling and restoring yards of Smash Palace - always a favourite for photographers. The light was coming and going at times but we got some great images to start the weekend off on the right note.
 John Smart
As we drove past National Park the cloud was obscuring Ruapehu, and everything else, but we decided to take a chance on Tawhai Falls. Fortunately, the clouds parted as we arrived at the car park and gave us some good shots of the falls as well as Gollum’s pool.
We made our way to Waitomo where we overnighted before heading off to the remote coastal settlement of Marokopa the next morning. Along the way we visited the impressive Ruakuri Scenic Reserve and on the way back the even more impressive Marokopa Falls.
 John Smart
Late afternoon we made our way to the Spellbound Glow worm cave where we spent a couple of hours admiring, and trying to photograph, glow worms in the dark - not an easy task and almost impossible when on a moving boat - but we got a few keepers. 
John Smart
The trip wasn’t over - with a stop at the historic abandoned Endean's native saw mill on our way home Sunday morning.
Churches team in action - April 2024Members of the Club are currently capturing images of churches across the wider Whanganui region as part of an historical record project with the Whanganui Regional Heritage Trust. On a recent weekend a team went to Ohakune and Raetihi before heading to Jerusalem where they overnighted in the Convent dormitory adjacent to St Joseph’s church and headed home via Koriniti the next morning.
Image by Karen Douglas
The weather was decidedly damp but we were able to photograph 6 churches over the two days. Fortunately, much of the photography was inside out of the rain but we also captured some moody shots of St Joseph’s over the Whanganui river. Here are a few shots of the team in action.
Images by Karen Douglas, Sharad Kumar and John Smart
Awards Night - December 2023
It is always a great way to end the year with the awarded trophies handed out. Congratulations to all the trophy winners on their stunning images and to the overall winners in both A Grade and B Grade.
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 
Wairarapa Weekend - November 2023The Wairarapa is a photographer’s delight and our trip organisers managed to pack a lot of its diverse highlights into this fun weekend. Who knew there’s a Greek Orthodox church just outside Masterton, with a back story as fascinating as the amazing décor. Who knew it is possible to take a gazillion seal pup shots – and then take another gazillion more because they’re just so darn cute!
Our Friday convoy took in a selection of sights at Feilding, the iconic Tui Brewery at Mangatainoka for lunch, and the icons at the church, before checking in to the Carterton Holiday Camp. Saturday saw sunrise to sunset activity, with the drive out to Cape Palliser the main excursion for the day, taking in the stunning coastal scenery, the rusting Ngawi bulldozers, and - oh yes, did we mention the seals? We headed home Sunday by various routes, some to Staglands, and the Interclub Print Battle, others choosing to explore the Wairarapa a little longer… another great club weekend away, enjoying each other’s company while exploring a special part of the country. PSNZ Interclub Competition - 2023Whanganui Camera Club has had amazing success in this years PSNZ and NPSNZ Interclub competitions. Well done to the photographers whose images were included in the sets. Thank you to Mark and Sharad, John and Claire and Heather and Sandra for putting the sets together. It takes a lot of work from all these wonderful people. Well done.
1st Place The Wiltshire Memorial Cup Annie Dillion, Jacqui McGowan LPSNZ, Heather Mackenzie, and Basil Hooper LPSNZ 
2nd Place Bledisloe Cup
Melanie McRae LPSNZ , Annie Dillon, Lynette Vallely APSNZ, Vivienne McLean 
3rd place The George Chance Cup
Sharad Kumar, Mark Brimblecombe APSNZ, Basil Hooper LPSNZ, Heather Mackenzie 
3rd place Trenna Packer Salver
Ormond Torr, Derek Barrett LPSNZ, Heather Mackenzie, Sandra Van Der Lubbe LPSNZ, Derek Barrett LPSNZ and Melanie McRae LPSNZ Club Members have success in North Island Regional SalonThe Photographic Society of New Zealand (PSNZ) held the first of its new format North Island Regional Conventions in Whangarei in May 2023. The Convention was accompanied by the first North Island Salon for both print and digital images. There were four Categories in each format - Photojournalism, Portrait, Nature and Open with over 600 entries in total from all around the North Island. A number of Whanganui members entered and had good success. You will recognise many of their successful images from club assessments in recent years indicating the good standard we have here in our Club. Congratulations to all.
Heritage Houses in Sanson - 2023
Thanks to Melanie for suggesting we head out to the Woolshed Cafe in Sanson and explore the delightful heritage houses that the owner, Paul, has relocated on site and renovated/refurbished to their original look - from cottages, villas and bungalows to everyone's favourite the Moderne and the more recent state house and 60's weatherboard classic. After capturing their beauty through our different lenses we had a tasty lunch in the cafe.
2023 off to a great startOur first "main meeting" of the year on February 8 followed a string of early year activities - a working bee at the clubrooms, a Welcome Back BBQ at the Douglas', the February Photo Appreciation evening and a Cafe and Shoot outing to Westmere Lake and Windermere Cafe on Waitangi Day. The club night itself included a People's Choice photo competition for images illustrating the concept of Abandoned and or Derelict. With 30 entries the first task was to whittle them down to the top six which are shown in the gallery below. The final vote saw the top two emerge - Dead Paddock Bashers by Yvonne Malaquin and the overall winner Derelict by Alex Baumanis.
Trophy Winners 2022
Image by Bill Douglas
Another year came to a close at our Awards night where we celebrated the success of our many Trophy Winners.
River Valley Outing
Image by Sharad Kumar
River Valley is a delightful retreat at the end of the road on the Rangitikei river about 30km east of Taihape. Seventeen members and friends spent two nights there on our major outing for the year - travelling up in convoy and stopping along the way for lunch and photo opportunities - perhaps the most interesting being a semi-submerged shearing shed.
                        We explored the river valley and the nearby Rangitikei high country from dawn to well past dusk capturing the unique landscapes, animals and rural buildings. River Valley is very much a family business and we enjoyed the fantastic hospitality of our hosts. Thanks to Linda for organising a great weekend for us.
               Members Exhibition 2022
Image by Bill Douglas
 Mark Brimblecombe and Club President John Smart | Image by Bill Douglas
Another fabulous exhibition of members framed prints was opened by local photographer and club member Mark Brimblecombe in the Whanganui Community Arts Centre. This year the club has hosted two exhibitions in parallel, with our Classic Exhibition of members framed prints in the front gallery and a curated exhibition of Whanganui house images ("our homes") in the back gallery (see more on this under the Domestic Houses tab). Here are a few shots from the night of members with their exhibits in the front gallery (Images supplied by Ormond Torr).
Portrait Photoshoot
After an informative morning discussing light and dark in photography we broke for lunch and the arrival of our models for the afternoon portrait photoshoot in our Clubrooms. And what a great afternoon we had with a bunch of teenagers and a couple of adults all dressed up and ready to pose. We had three lighting set ups and rediscovered the club had a big white soft box that could easily fit a model on a stool. Fun was had by all. Thanks especially to Shar for organising the photoshoot - setting up the screens and lights - and for bringing the models. Thanks also to the models for being so patient and helpful and photogenic for those of us with cameras. Here is a small selection of the photos from the day.
Waitotara Field Trip
Image by John Smart APSNZ
We picked a great day for our first out of town fieldtrip this year to Waitotara. Basil met us at the Waitotara pub and we wended our way up the valley to his place stopping for a derelict house and a collectors paradise for photo ops along the way. After a convivial picnic lunch and the traditional group photo (above) we explored Basil's farm with its many delights. Thanks to Basil and Linda for organising the day. A selection of our photos are in the gallery below.
Members have success at the Sony National Exhibition
Great to see our members gaining Acceptances at the Sony National Exhibition this year - well done all.
Awards Night
Our year wound up with a great night to celebrate our Trophy winners, enjoy a very interesting talk from local dentist, councillor, international charity worker and entrepreneur Hadleigh Reid, followed by a Christmas supper and chat. Congratulations to Alana, Claire, Lynette, John, Sandra and Ormond (aka the Ormonator) who are proudly holding their Trophies in the image above. Unfortunately, fellow Trophy winners Sandra (Benson), Sharlene and Lex were unable to make it on the night and will wait until the New Year to collect their Trophies. Thank you to Bill Douglas for the photo.
The 2021 Members Exhibition
With Covid 19 affecting many national photography exhibitions this year we were fortunate to be able to host our annual members exhibition without any disruptions. PSNZ President Paul Whitham travelled up from Wellington to open the exhibition and noted our three exhibitions in one gave a wide diversity of images for the public to enjoy. The classic front gallery continued the black and white frames and matts from last year and, apart from the extra challenge it poses for those arranging the hanging, resulted in a very impactful gallery. Alana Maulder's Tui and the Bee was the public choice for image of the exhibition. The back gallery saw the continuation of the mosaic wall of matted prints coupled with two walls with 7 members individual spaces. The spaces were a great example of the quality and diversity of photography in the club. The theme for the mosaic wall this year was TOYS - it was great to see the enthusiasm it created amongst the children who visited. With around 115 exhibits in total it was the largest entry in recent years and had something for everyone. Photos by Sharlene Dempsey.
Trenna Packer Success!
We received third place in this year's Trenna Packer Salver - the Nature Photographic Society of New Zealand's annual interclub competition for a set of six images illustrating the diverse natural world of New Zealand and its off shore islands. The competition is keenly contested with 22 camera clubs from around the country entering this year. This is our first placing ever!. So well done us - and congratulations to the members whose images were selected to be included in this year's set - Derek Barrett, Alana Maulder, Sandra Van Der Lubbe (x2), Heather Mackenzie and Lynette Vallely. Lynette's image of the two Kereru was also the leading individual image in the Salver - fantastic!!!!
Lights on Bikes / Drews Avenue Streetscape OpeningThe Whanganui District Council asked us (for the third time!) to photograph the combined LOB/Drews Av event - held this year in the middle of winter. The weather was kind and the revised shortened LOB parade and the Drews Ave buzz made for a great night for all. We had around 12 club photographers working the event and have supplied over 500 image files to the Council. Here are a handful of them.
Bason Botanic Gardens PhotoshootWe picked a great early autumn day for an outing to the delightful Bason Botanic Gardens. Around 14 members enjoyed the opportunity to explore the ever developing gardens and capture a variety of floral images. The Phalaenopsis orchids, in particular, were putting on a great display.
Here are just a small sample of the images taken on the day
We gathered together for an early lunch, or late breakfast, near the BBQ area.
Whanganui Camera Club Awards 2020
Congratulations to Bill Douglas, John Smart, Rodney Donaldson, Jack Donaldson, Royce Johnson, Basil Hooper, Glyn Hubbard, Virginia Osborne and Sharlene Dempsey for winning Trophies in 2020.
Wild Child
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Welcome Back BBQ
for the Whanganui Camera Club
Before the Whanganui Camera Club starts its exciting 2019 year of photography, the annual 'Welcome Back' barbecue is a great way to catch up with members and visitors. Thanks to our club member Maartje Morton for hosting this years club barbecue, it was a very enjoyable afternoon.
Whanganui Camera Club
Members' Annual Exhibition 2018
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Another wonderful showcase of prints from Whanganui Camera Club members with 81 entries now on show at the Community Arts Centre here in Whanganui. A majority are for sale, so pop in and see the range on display and see if you can find at least one to make your 'People's Choice' vote towards. Also, on sale at the exhibition will be the iconic 'Whanganui, through the lens' 2019 Calendar with photos made by our camera club members, so be sure to purchase your copy (or two) while you're there.
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Dawson Falls at last!
Ten camera club members got away to Dawson Falls on the slopes of Mount Taranaki on the fourth attempt Sunday 19 August. It was a gloriously clear day and the mountain teased us all the way looking pristine white against a blue sky.
We stopped at Hollard gardens for a brief rest break and enjoyed some glimpses of the mountain before continuing up Manaia Road. The mountain was still clear as we entered the national park and bush covered road. Just a few minutes later we emerged at the Dawson Falls parking area to a completely clouded over mountain. Nevermind, we parked up and descended into the valley to interpret the falls in our individual photographic ways before trekking back up the steep walk to the minivan and thence to the Dawson Falls café for a cosy atmosphere and tasty lunch.
The cloud persisted over the mountain as we zigzagged our way around to Cape Egmont and our next stop at the replica Lighthouse and boat ramp where we found an abandoned gorilla wearing boxing gloves about to be swallowed by the tide (just joking!) George, our club mascot appeared in quite a few of our photos throughout the day, keeping us on our toes.
We stopped at Hollard gardens for a brief rest break and enjoyed some glimpses of the mountain before continuing up Manaia Road. The mountain was still clear as we entered the national park and bush covered road. Just a few minutes later we emerged at the Dawson Falls parking area to a completely clouded over mountain. Nevermind, we parked up and descended into the valley to interpret the falls in our individual photographic ways before trekking back up the steep walk to the minivan and thence to the Dawson Falls café for a cosy atmosphere and tasty lunch.
The cloud persisted over the mountain as we zigzagged our way around to Cape Egmont and our next stop at the replica Lighthouse and boat ramp where we found an abandoned gorilla wearing boxing gloves about to be swallowed by the tide (just joking!) George, our club mascot appeared in quite a few of our photos throughout the day, keeping us on our toes.
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We continued on to Cape Egmont Light House where, miraculously, the clouds over the mountain parted for some classic late afternoon shots. Another great day out in the minivan and another group photo to show for it – thanks to Ray for driving and George for parting the clouds.
"Rain, What Rain?"
Horopito Motors Field Trip 2018
Although the weather may have been against us, the trip was still on! 22 club members, despite the weather forecast still enjoyed the day trip away to Horopito Motors. Like usual, a few extra stops were made on the way, but we are photographers, that will always happen.
Our main stop was the visit to Horopito Motors, the largest and only vintage car dismantlers in Australasia. We had a few hours to spend photographing the wonderful old cars and inside the museum. Some described it as ‘a photographers playground’, others enjoyed the socialising and new friendships made. Also, a big thank you to our minivan drivers, Ray Anderson and Murray Voss.
2018 Jerusalem/Hiruharama
We arrived at Hiruhārama in time for lunch and then were set free to wander and take photos at will in and around the Church and Convent of the Sisters of Compassion. It was great to see a number of newer members along and it provided a great opportunity to get to know each other while having the chance to explore and photograph such a treasure. As usual it is fascinating to see the diversity of images different photographers take of the same subject – some have been posted on our WCC Photos page and more may pop up in club competitions this year.
We were also privileged to have the opportunity to meet and photograph Sister Christina inside the gorgeous church before having a cup of tea in the convent kitchen collecting up our gear and heading home. Those who travelled in the minivan together had the added benefit of being able to discuss and solve the world’s major problems including world peace, the eradication of poverty and the advantages of isoinvariance.
Many thanks to Tania for organising the visit to Jerusalem and to Ray for driving the minivan. More field trips are planned for later in the year – details will be posted in the members only section under the log in tab as the year unfolds. - Articles and photos by John Smart
Many thanks to Tania for organising the visit to Jerusalem and to Ray for driving the minivan. More field trips are planned for later in the year – details will be posted in the members only section under the log in tab as the year unfolds. - Articles and photos by John Smart
Special Trophy Awarded
Margaret Walford Memorial Trophy
Winning Landscape Image 'Isolation' by Les Rackham
Whanganui Camera Club
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Each year members from the Wanganui Camera Club showcase their works at the Community Arts Centre here in Wanganui. This year we have a massive 71 framed prints on display in both the front and back gallery of the Art Centre and a majority are for sale. This year the theme for our exhibition is "OPEN", so expect to see a vast array of photography on display. We're pretty sure you'll find one image to make your "People's Choice" vote towards.
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Whanganui Camera Club
Anneka Barritt wins Honours in the 21st Laurie Thomas New Zealand Landscape Salon
Wanganui Camera Club would like to congratulate their club member Anneka Barritt for receiving an 'Honours' award for her stunning image Kupe's Sail (page 5) of the catalogue. Click here to download and view the catalogue.
Club Trips - A great way to socialise and visit some interesting locations
Several times a year the Club organises daytrips for members. While these are a largely social outing, we generally visit locations where there are great photographic opportunities. The purchase of our club rooms this year disrupted our schedule so we've only managed to go on two thus far this year (which are additional to other social gatherings).
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The first trip by minivan was to Wellington to see the Weta Studios exhibit at Te Papa, and the War Memorial Museum. Members had the choice of visiting these locations or doing other activities instead. A keen street photography contingent hit the streets, while others managed to sample the culinary delights of the region and visit the museums. The beauty was that you can be independent, or hang out with others. At the end of the day there were some very tired members, though this was forgotten after we stopped for dinner on the Kapiti Coast on the way back home.
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2016 Members' Exhibition The Best Yet
If you missed our 2016 Club Exhibition, you missed a treat. The public and members considered it our best exhibition yet. People enjoyed being able to move around and view the exhibition in two adjoining galleries. The mini-exhibitions by Vonnie Cave and Margaret Walford were very popular and widely appreciated, as was information about the history of the club.
New WCC Club Rooms Grand Opening
Yes, we are one of the oldest Camera or Photographic Clubs in the country. We have a longstanding reputation for passion and excellence in photography, and have a good relationship with many other clubs around NZ, as well as being affiliated with the national organisation PSNZ (Photographic Society of New Zealand)
From left: Margaret Walford (Competitions Secretary, Life Member), Vonnie Cave (Patron, Life Member), Beverley Sinclair (Life Member), Lynn Waters (President). Photos by Mark Brimblecombe.
Wanganui Camera Club Life Members
Nearly 50 club members attended the mid year camera club dinner at The Brick House on the second Wednesday in July. This event was very special as it combined a popular occasion in our club's calendar with a momentous occasion - that of the 120 year anniversary of the inception of the Wanganui Camera Club. The good food, warmth and camaraderie was enhanced by an interesting talk from John Chapman, a photo journalist who now lives in Raetihi. He shared his life experiences and anecdotes with the very appreciative audience who are now inspired to create images that tell a story.
The culmination of the evening was the cutting of the anniversary cake in celebration of our 120 years in existence. Our Patron Vonnie Cave spoke about her recollections of the club when she joined over 20 years ago and she was joined by two other Life Members, Margaret Walford and Beverley Sinclair, testimony of the stability and experience that we have in our Wanganui Camera Club. To read more of our club history, please click here. - Article by Lynn Waters (President)
The culmination of the evening was the cutting of the anniversary cake in celebration of our 120 years in existence. Our Patron Vonnie Cave spoke about her recollections of the club when she joined over 20 years ago and she was joined by two other Life Members, Margaret Walford and Beverley Sinclair, testimony of the stability and experience that we have in our Wanganui Camera Club. To read more of our club history, please click here. - Article by Lynn Waters (President)
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Members of the Wanganui Camera Club celebrating their 120th Birthday, as Vonnie Cave, our distinguished Patron cuts the cake.
WCC Members enjoy the great photographic opportunity
Club Meetings are the second and fourth Wednesday of the month from February to November (7 for 7.30pm in our Clubrooms at 2 Handley Street)
What are the rules around taking photos or filming in a public place? click here
People's Choice
Percy Temple | Beach BBQ
Basil Hooper LPSNZ | In the Frame
Bill Douglas | Depot Creek Falls, Haast Pass
Lynette Vallely APSNZ | Taffy
Lynette Vallely APNZ | Raindrops
Lynette Vallely APSNZ | Decor Auckland International
Basil Hooper LPSNZ | Cobweb
John Smart APSNZ | Spiral staircase
Glyn Hubbard LPSNZ | Apres Ski Mates
Melanie McRae LPSNZ | Crane Flies Mating
John Smart APSNZ | Limestone Cottages
Annie Dillon | Lady Rider
Scavenger Hunt winner by Lynda, William and Denice
Lynette Vallely APSNZ | OOOuch!
Derek Barrett LPSNZ | Southern Bell Frog
Bill Douglas | Dr JP
Melanie McRae LPSNZ | The Last Migration
Melanie McRae LPSNZ | My Home Town
Melanie McRae LPSNZ | Dangerous Skies
John Smart APSNZ | Downtown
John Smart APSNZ | Alan
John Smart APSNZ | Crown Shy
Rodney Donaldson LPSNZ | Lake Mangamahoe
Vivienne McLean | Walls
Lynette Vallely APSNZ | Glasses in liquor tent
Lynette Vallely APSNZ | Fearless Photographer
Rodney Donaldson LPSNZ | Making a Splash
Sandra Van Der Lubbe LPSNZ | "Kingfisher"
Vivienne McLean | "Story Bridge"
Vivienne McLean | "Rosenthal"
Vivienne McLean | "Joy in the Dance"
Vivienne McLean | "Wafting Away"
Lex McRae | "Lake Hayes"
Vivienne McLean | "Green Valley"
Rodney Donaldson LPSNZ | "Surf's up"
Ormond Torr | "Leisure Tiime"
Derek Barrett LPSNZ | "Moria Gate Arch, Oparara Basin"
Lynette Vallely APSNZ | "Turbulent Waves"
Jono Gribble | "Vintage Car Rally"
John Smart APSNZ | "Thank You"
Alana Maulder LPSNZ | "Winter Wonderland"
Ormond Torr | "Terminus Unknown"
Ormond Torr | "Kotare"
Ormond Torr | "Citrus sliced"
Lynette Vallely APSNZ | "Little Black Shag Rockers"
Ormond Torr | "Pied Shag Family"
Sandra Van der Lubbe LPSNZ | "Common green bottle fly"
Bill Douglas | "Looking at you"
Melanie McRae LPSNZ | "The animal in my apple"
Basil Hooper LPSNZ | "Where the land meets the sky"
Sandra Van Der Lubbe LPSNZ | Brooke
Sharlene Dempsey | Unami
Lynette Vallely APSNZ | Mooloolaba - rays of light and dark
Royce Johnson | Sunny morning on sodden forest
Derek Barrett LPSNZ | Cheetah
Royce Johnson | Dublin Street Bridge
Bill Douglas | Hanoi street in rainstorm
Sharlene Dempsey | The flight of a Bee
Basil Hooper LPSNZ | "Missy"
Glyn Hubbard LPSNZ | "Last jump"
Melanie McRae LPSNZ | "White faced Heron at dawn"
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Members from our club were at the first passenger trips on
Tram No 12 on Queen’s Birthday - Monday 2nd June. The 102 year old
electric tram has been lovingly restored by local volunteers after being ‘out
of service’ for the last 64 years. This was an opportunity to document an
historical occasion for our city and to celebrate the efforts of another club.
Some of the photos made are being donated to the Tramways Wanganui Trust.
The occasion was made special with the attendance of Mable Edmonds who is the same age as the tram! She was a great ‘model’. For more information about the Tram No.12 see the website for the Tramways Wanganui Trust. Photos by Mark Brimblecombe & Tania Warbrick |
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They came to us....
Kapiti Camera Club members in Wanganui
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Wanganui Camera Club members in Kapiti
We went to them....
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